Eugene is Oregon’s second largest city (with a population of around 154,620) and can be found at the southern end of Willamette Valley, around 50 miles east of Oregon Coast. The University of Oregon is in Eugene. It is a beautiful city and is great for cycling, running, kayaking and rafting. There is a big focus on the arts, as well as activist political leanings. It is known as the “Emerald City” and “Track Town, USA.”